Retired Rose thriving in bush with Oberon Tigers

by jspasaro

Josh Spasaro
Sports Journalist

I spent four years in country newspapers before taking on a dream role of covering national and international sports news across the entire APN network, in early 2012.
I learnt my trade in Kingaroy, Queanbeyan and Lismore doing it all – design, photography and headline writing.
I am now the envy of all my friends and family members, now that I have the privilege of covering Origin, Bledisloe Cups, footy grand finals and other top international sporting events.
Yes, I wouldn’t trade this job for...

Former NRL cult hero George Rose might be spending his weekends playing in the relative obscurity of Group 10 bush footy, but he says he couldn't be happier.

Even if that means copping a few extra sly punches or elbows without so many cameras around.

The 33-year-old prop, who won a premiership with Manly, was an Indigenous All Stars representative and spent time at the Melbourne Storm and Dragons, is now playing for Oberon Tigers in the New South Wales central tablelands. And he has already made a big impact.

"It's been great," Rose told Australian Regional Media.

"They hadn't won a game in 18 months, and we won the first (four) games of the comp. It's been great for the town, and it's been good for us."

Rose, a former junior at nearby Bathurst, is suiting up alongside his brothers Matt and Trent.

"I always wanted to spend a few seasons with the boys when I finished in Sydney," he said. "It's been really enjoyable. There are a lot less cameras, so you cop a lot more shots that you don't cop in Sydney, but you can give a few too."

Rose said he had "flirted" with the idea of boxing, and considered joining his friend and former Manly teammate Solomon Haumono at the heavyweight level.

"I was doing boxing in training for footy and I've always loved it," the man nicknamed Gorgeous George said. "That was until I saw Solomon Haumono punching people in the face.

"I thought 'I love punching people, but I don't want to get punched'."

Apart from turning out for the Tigers, Rose is busy helping promote Haumono's career with No Limit Management, doing an internship with Accor Hotels, and also studying for a commerce degree at Sydney University.